Torsion regulator on rollable curtains



APY 6, 1954 J. HERNANDEZ PRIETO 2,674,306

TORSION REGULATOR ON ROLLABLE CURTAINS Filed June 25. 1952 1 I un?, 2

1M' i g i i i i g 2. E

Patented Apr. 6, 1954 2,674,306 OFFICE TORSION REGULATOR CURT 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a torsion regulator for rollable curtains, doors or shades and hereafter referred to as shades, in which the combination of means making up said regulator, allows the common shade to be balanced in all of the positions thereof, both in its ascent and its descent, by simply applying the present device; differing from other shades lacking said contrivance, which therefore can only be balanced at two points, at will: either on both ends or in the center and at one of said ends, or at any other two points whatsoever.

In theory, a common shade would be perfectly balanced at any point of its course or run, inasmuch as, while going upwards, the weight left under the shaft and the spring force are gradually lost in the same proportion. In practice, however, this principle does not apply owing to the fact that the diameter of the roll does not remain constant, wherefore the shade may be balanced at two points only, as stated above.

It is possible to prove, both practically and mathematically, that if a shade is balanced for both its two extreme positions, i. e. fully closed and rolled open completely, then it shows a tendeney to fall in the intermediate positions.

So far, all shades have such a deficiency, which, depending on the shade dimensions, is more or less harmful and disadvantageous.

The purpose of this invention is, to overcome the disadvantages implied by such operations, by means of the torsion regulator herein described, which operates in a simple manner and is of sturdy and lasting construction.

This device, when applied on the shade roller, can overcome this unbalanced condition by operating on the springs, thereby automatically modifying the working length thereof in any desired position. This device may be differently shaped and sized, and the materials from which it is made may likewise vary, while `other' modifications may be introduced thereto, but it shall always have the same purpose.

As an example within the wide scope of the invention, the following device is shown in the drawings and description.

The characteristic details of this automatic ON ROILABLE AINS J os Hernandez Prieto, Guadalajara, Jalisco,

exlco Application June 25, 1952, Serial No. 295,580 Claims priority, application Mexico June 28, 1951 (Cl. i60-313) regulator will be clearly apparent in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, which are given as an illustration thereof, the same symbols of reference being used to indicate the same parts in the figures shown.

Fig. I is a fragmentary elevation of the shade roller, parts being broken away to expose the structure and application of my invention.

Fig. II is a plan of the aforementioned figure.

Fig. III is an end elevation of Fig. I.

Referring to these gures, the present regulator is made up by the combination of a member or bar I, attached to the shaft 2 of the roller 3 by means of a screw 4. Said bar supports a series of flat open hoops or loops 5, which can be closed more or less'by means of screws 6, and normally almost touch or bind the spring 1 when the latter is fully wound up; that is, when it reaches its least diameter. On the fixed shaft 2, there are mounted the free disks 8 to which the roller and the upper end of the shade 9 is fixed; the springs are fixed, one end to the disk 8, the opposite end to the shaft 2.

The operation of my regulator, when applied to the shade roller, is as follows:

The shade E! is screwed on, while fully unrolled, after winding up the springs, so that, as the latter tend to return to their position, they draw the shade upwards and roll it up; as the springs gradually unwind, their diameter increases until it becomes partly enclosed by the hoops, which will not allow it to become larger. The portion that has become bound will thus be inoperative and the effective spring length reduced. As the hoops are not equally closed, they do not start operating all at the same time, but they begin their action successively, one part of the spring length being lost, each time one of the hoops of the series begins to operate. The length lost each time will be proportionate to the width and spacing of the respective successive encircling hoops. Thus, the balance of the shade may be achieved in all the positions thereof.

This regulator, while adaptable to all types of rollable members, is particularly adapted for flexible metal curtains or doors, formed from iron, steel and the like. It will be noted that the curtain 9 is shown as being composed of a plurality of transverse strips hinged together to form the curtain or door.

Having thus particularly described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A regulator for spring shade rollers, comprising a bar supported by the shaft on which the shade roller is journalled and extending along a length of said shaft, said roller being spring actuated, and a series of open loops connected to and along said bar and each effectively surrounding the spring, the size of said loops being adjustable to various and successive sizes and the loop which is adjusted to the smallest size almost binding the spring when the diameter thereof is smallest.

2. A regulator for spring shade rollers, as dened in claim 1, comprising adjusting screws on and closing the several loops, the loops being adjusted by said screws to successively smaller inside diameters so that the action thereof on the spring is successive and the length of the spring is shortened as the shade is raised.

Name Date Lane Apr, 29, 1879 Number 

